Politics, Entertainment and Lifestyle from South India

Alluri Sita Rama Raju, the Subhash Chandra Bose of South India.

Sri Alluri Sita Rama Raju is remembered as a great son of India in the chronicales/tales of Indian History during the period of early freedom struggle of 20th century. Starting from humble beginnings he emerged as a revered leader, fought against the mighty British war forces and successfully lead the tribesmen of Andhra Pradesh with nothing more than traditional war weaponry of mere bows and arrows until he himself surrendered himself to the British and was executed by them who could never take him from front. Like all our revered freedom fighters he sacrificed his life for what he believed in and like all of them left behind a legacy that outlived everything the British has ever accomplished in India through 400 years of exploitation.

Through this listicle we intend to remembering the legend, salute his Bravery and Thank him for his unparalleled sacrifice for our country.

1. Godavari and Vishakapatnam boy.

Alluri Sita Rama Raju was born on 4th of July 1897 (the same year subhash Chandra bose was born) in a village called Mogallu in Bhimavaram taluka of West Godavari district to Sri. Venkata Rama Raju and Suryanarayanamma. His mother was from Visakhapatnam and his father who worked as official photographer in the central jail at Rajahmundry was a native of Mogallu, hence, Raju spent majority of his early life in Mogallu.

3. At the age we played played video games he already made his first political contacts.

At the age of 10, Raju was heavily influenced by freedom struggle and began studying politics. After the death of his father Fearing the path he was taking with his life his maternal uncle shifted him to their mother’s place at Vishakhapatnam in the name of his studies not knowing that this would change the course of his life. He enrolled at Mrs. A.V.N. College and got his political contact with Sri Madduri Annapurnayya, a great freedom-fighter, and Rallapalli Atchuta Ramayya, a great scholar and started being politically active there when he was 15.

4. The Traveler, Yogi and the Master of Politics and War.

He was further influenced by the freedom struggle at that time and left home to travel with All India Congress Committee to spread the independence movement at the age of 17 which made him friends with top freedom fighters of that time. Even though he was impressed with the idea of non-cooperation movement he believed it doesn’t work and decided to organise the tribals to wage war against the British. He traveled for the next 5 years and studied Sanskrit, the science of yoga, vedas, politics and war. He vowed to never get married.

5. The Inspiring Leader.

He came back to Vijayanagaram and started inspiring the tribals to join him in the freedom fight and proposed the concept of guerrilla warfare and trained them for war for the next year and half.

6. He stole the Weapons from the Police Station.

Soon he built an army with the tribal people and surprised the British government with his first attack on Chintapalli Police Station on the eve of 22-8-1922. Which was followed by Krishnadevi peta Police Station on 23rd, and Rajavommangi police station on on 24th and captured a good number of guns, bayonets and cartridges and swords. He set free the revolutionary, Veerayya Dora from jail. The British Army got alerted and platoons of Police and Army were sent to capture Sitarama Raju.

7.He popularized Guerrilla warfare way before Che Guevara made it cool.

They Never attacked any police station without prior intimation to them. They Never involved in indiscriminate killing of people during their attacks. The British officers themselves adored his infallible strategies of Guerilla warfare. He never got attracted to the temptations of money or power.

8. His approach of revolt was same to that of Subhash Chandra Bose’s.

For the next two years Raju terrorized the British Empire like his North Indian counterpart Netaji Subash Chandra Bose who believed that only an armed struggle could bring freedom to Indian people who were subjected to centuries of slavery. He was acclaimed as a master strategist and always surprised his enemies with his faultless planning.

10. He didn’t just create an Army, he a created carnage.

At Peddavalassa battle of April of 1924 Raju’s troops attacked the British Army and suffered heavy casualties and saw their first loss. Despite having all the modern weaponry of their time the British lost 1800 out of their 2000 soldiers while Rama raju’s troops who were fighting mostly with bow & arrows suffered a loss of 180 from his 600 brave warriors. He was devastated by the loss of life and was concerned about the future of the tribal women and children. Although his troops went on to win the battles that followed and came out triumphant Raju decided to end the war by surrendering himself to prevent further life loss.

11. He surrendered himself for the sake of his people.

On May 7th of 1924 he sent a message to the British government on his willingness to surrender. He did a pooja at a pond in Mampa village early in the morning and sent one of his associates to inform the army of his whereabouts. He was then captured and executed that evening on the command of General Rutherford.

Official photo of Alluri Sita Rama Raju taken by the British Shortly after his execution .

Seetarama Raju ruled over vast agency area for two years from 1922 to 1924 and became a terror to the British government. Later British rulers deployed big contigents of Assam Rifles and others. Fighting a fierece battle, Raju laid down his life and attained martyrdom.

Ironically both Sita rama raju and Subhash chandra bose were born in the same year, Rich in knowledge of various subjects, were influenced by the same generation of mentors, lead their own army, built their own clans ad died without seeing their dream come true.